A MAJOR touring exhibition will be on display in Winchester this month.

The show from the National Gallery will be presented at The Arc, in Jewry Street.

Sin is the first UK exhibition to explore the concept of sin in art, bringing together eight paintings from the National Gallery’s collection with two special loans by contemporary artists Tracy Emin and Ron Mueck. 

Kirsty Rodda, visual arts exhibitions manager at Hampshire Cultural Trust, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have been able to secure such an important exhibition from the National Gallery for display at The Arc. 

“Sin is touring to just four locations in the UK: Winchester is the only location south of York where visitors will have the opportunity to view these exceptional works together. It is rare to be able to see a Rembrandt outside major galleries: to host an exhibition that includes not just Rembrandt, but Ron Mueck and Tracy Emin, too, is an incredible privilege.” 

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Visitors to the exhibition will be able to observe the ever-changing representations of sin in European visual culture through the eight works dating from the 16th and 17th centuries which are rarely loaned from the National Gallery’s collection. 

The exhibition will be accompanied by a sin-themed programme of events, talks and workshops at The Arc, including a curator’s talk with Joost Joustra, a chocolatier masterclass and a sin-inspired cocktail-making evening with The Alchemist. The exhibition will also be accompanied by two City Space exhibitions by Hampshire-based artist Katherine Anteney and Winchester Photographic Society. 

Sin is curated by Dr Joost Joustra. She said: “Sin invites visitors to reflect on a fundamental concept that pervades our lives and history, but also to marvel at the ingenious ways artists have addressed the subject across time.” 

The exhibition opens on Friday February 24 and runs until Sunday May 14 The Gallery at

The Arc is one of just four venues in the UK to host the touring exhibition and the only venue in the south of England. 

For more information or to book tickets online for Sin and its accompanying programme visit arcwinchester.org.uk/event/sin, or book in person at The Arc.